Last Day!

We've completed the year!

I want to let you all know how much I have enjoyed teaching the 6th graders this year.  They are a great group of students.  We worked hard and, I think, had a little fun along the way.  I am extremely proud of the growth I have seen in each student.  They have become more responsible, more thoughtful, and many have become more confident in addition to all the knowledge they have gained.

I hope you all enjoy your summer.  I will be finishing up my master's degree so my summer won't be school free, but I'll use it to prepare for another amazing year next year.

Next year I'll be teaching 2nd grade.  I'm looking forward to being with young students again, but I will miss 6th grade.  I have enjoyed the content, the students, and the challenges.  These students have given me a good and memorable year.  I will always think fondly of 6th grade because of them.

Feel free to stop in and say "hi" when you are passing by.  I still have to move out of my classroom by June 4th so I welcome any donations of boxes.  Send me an email and I'll meet you at the school.

I hope you know how truly grateful I am to have been a part of your child's life this year.  I look forward to seeing their smiling faces in the fall as they enter the halls as 7th graders.

Mrs. George

Science Night/Math Carnival Night

Coming this Friday, May 12th, we will be having Science Night and Math Carnival Night.

Science Night: 3:30-5:30
        Check out the hard work the students have done on their projects.
        Class of 2018 will be offering hot dog/chili dog meal for $5 each

Math Carnival Night: 5:30-7:00
        *math carnival games
        *carnival rides
        *chrome book raffle tickets
        *face painting
        *bingo with prizes and gift cards for winners
        *bounce house
        *sno cone and snack shack
        *Rock Band will perform from 6-7pm

May 8-12

It's early to already be thinking about next week, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew the testing schedule early on.

Again, I am very proud of how hard these students are working.  They are testing for over 1 1/2 hours and it is taxing on them.  They don't complain and approach each test with an amazing attitude.

Tests next week:
Tuesday, May 9th: ISAT test - Math
Wednesday, May 10th: Mrs. George's class will take the Math MAP test
Thursday, May 11th: Mrs. Bingham's class will take the Math MAP test

Tuesday is the last ISAT test for 6th graders.  The Math MAP test gives students an opportunity to show their growth from the fall until now.  Students who score well on it will have the option of skipping their Math Final.

Also, Friday May 12th is Science Night from 3:30-5:30.  Students need to come and represent their group for at least 20 minutes during that time.  All projects will be displayed in D2.

Lock-in update

Dear Parents and 6th grade students,

Hello!  The Lock-in is fast approaching in a few days.  Unfortunately, I have not been able to fill all the required chaperone time slots.  With that fact, along with a couple of other unforeseen circumstances, the lock-in ending time will now be at midnight and will not be an overnight event.  All the planned evening activities will be the same up until midnight. Your child can leave their sleeping bags and pillows and personal electronic devices at home.  Please plan on picking your child up in the gym instead of the classrooms promptly at midnight.  Thank you to all those who will be chaperoning that evening.

May 1-5

I am very proud of how the 6th graders handled their first ISAT exam of the year.  They had a wonderful attitude.  They did their best and they were respectful of each other.  I know these testing days can be taxing and they are doing amazing!

Next week is a big week for 6th graders.  They have two more ISAT tests and then on Friday, the 5th, they have their lock-in.  If you would like to volunteer for any part of the lock-in, you may contact Mrs. Boothby, shereeboothby@visioncsd.org.  Just a reminder, ALL permission slips must be turned in by May 4th.

May 1: ISAT test - math performance task

May 2: ISAT test - language arts 

May 5: Lock in

Please be sure students get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy breakfast and come to school on time to create the best environment for them.

April 24 - 28

Students will have their first ISAT test this week.  It will take place on Thursday, April 27th.  Be sure that students get a good night's rest and have a healthy breakfast.  I know they will do great.

Most of this week, students will be working on finalizing some projects they have for their other classes.  We are doing everything we can to provide students the opportunity to complete these projects in class.

Apology

Just to clarify. . .

students simply have a normal flu bug that will probably only last 24 hours.

No one needs to stay home unnecessarily.

I was encouraging students to be healthy and not stress about missing school because they were ill.

Sickness

A large wave of sickness has suddenly hit 6th grade, 26 out of 65 students were absent today.  It's good that students are staying home and getting better.  Rest is usually the best medicine, but we miss them too.

Hopefully, everyone starts getting healthier, it isn't fun to feel so miserable.

Encourage your 6th grader to eat well, get a lot of sleep and drink a lot of water.  Even though spring is an amazing time, everyone tends to get busier and a little more stressed and the germs love that.  I wish everyone well, if your child is home sick we will do all we can to help them catch up when they return.  Their first job is to be healthy.

April 17-21

The students worked really hard on their Language Arts MAP test this week.  I am very proud of their improvement from the beginning of the year.  I have updated their Language Arts grades to reflect their Final test score based on the MAP test.

There are no major changes to next week's schedule.  The only test the students have next week will be their Science Final.  Students will be going over the study guide in class at the beginning of the week.

April 10-14

As we near the end of the year, students are going to be having large tests regularly.  This week students have their first big test.

This week students will take their Language Arts MAP test.  This test was given last fall and students will be measured by their growth from fall until now.

Because there are so many mandatory tests these students need to take, I will be using this MAP test as their Language Arts Final.  We still have more to learn for the next few months and students will be completing a writing assignment and a project that will be a large part of their Language Arts grades, but this will be the only large Language Arts test they will take.  Students' scores and growth will be taken into account when determining their Final grade.

In order to accommodate for students who may take longer than the time during our scheduled class period, we are adjusting the last class of the day for them.  The schedule is below.

Monday, April 10th - 11:45: 6A (Mrs. Bingham's homeroom) MAP test
 6A will stay in the room for Science as soon as the test is complete.

Tuesday, April 11th - 11:45: 6B (Mrs. George's homeroom) MAP test
 6B will stay in the room for Science as soon as the test is complete.

Wednesday and Thursday (April 12-13) are normal schedules.

Friday (14th) is a 1/2 day.  Students will be dismissed at 1:45.
The schedule is a normal Friday schedule.  The last class will be dismissed 10 minutes earlier than normal to clean up.

Spring Break

Spring Break has begun.  Students worked extremely hard this past week.  Many are beginning to see how their effort pays off in personal satisfaction, learning and and good grades.  I am pleased to send all the 6th graders home with a smile and a "Job well done!"  I hope you all enjoy your break and get rested for the final push of the school year.

If it is wanted or needed.  I have posted Language Arts and Science extra credit on Google Classroom.  Both of these are the only extra credit assignments I will post for the year.

Science Night is coming in May. Students will be working on projects in class for science night. The only reason students should be working on science projects at home will be because they want to do the extra credit.

Again, have a wonderful break.  I will see everyone on March 29th.

Week of March 6th News and Assignments

This week in Tutorial, we are still working on all the skills we have learned this year.  We are also finding the opposite of a number.  Students had Week 21B paper to complete and IXL Z.4.

In Language Arts we are practicing using conjunctions correctly with commas.  Students have a No Red Ink assignment, 2.4, where they can practice correct use of commas with conjunctions.  Our next and last paper will be a persuasive paper.  This week we are beginning to learn the parts of that paper.  We won't start on it until after spring break.

In Science, students are working on a weather forecast.  Next week they will be completing another Data Puzzle on predicting weather.  At the end of next week, students will have a quiz over weather in Science.

I've seen a huge improvement in student agendas.  They are learning how important they are and are filling them out regularly.

Important Message Coming Home Today

March 2, 2017

 Dear Parents of our Sixth Graders, Your child is bringing home a progress report which needs to be signed and returned by Monday, March 6, 2017. The returned progress report will actually be a grade in the grade book for responsibility.

 To assist our students in showing mastery of required skills and to increase academic growth we are accepting all late work from this past quarter for full credit through March 17, 2017. All items submitted after 3:00 p.m. on March 17, 2017 will be a zero.

 This Friday, students are scheduled to have an end of quarter party. All students who have their assignments turned in will get to participate in the party. Students who have missing assignments will be able to spend that time completing them and they will get full credit for those assignments. As soon as they complete all missing assignments they will be able to join the party!

 Students were given a list of all remaining missing assignments today and will have until March 17th to complete all items for full credit. If your child misplaces this list, please check on parent portal for missing assignments. If you do not have access to parent portal, email Mrs. Bowers for instructions for parent portal at amybowers@visioncsd.org.

 After spring break, each late assignment will be reduced by 50% of the score they would have earned to prepare students for middle school expectations. The teachers will continue to provide training in the area of study skills, organization, “checking the no name pile,” putting their names on their papers, and submitting work in a timely manner.

 As an additional support, if you would like to have your child in study hall instead of PE, Technology, or Spanish for the rest of the year, please let me know immediately and I will make it happen. I am also happy to make a spot for your child in after school homework club until 4 p.m. daily.

 On another more exciting note, we are working to plan the annual lock-in & all night party for all of our sixth grade students. We have scheduled it for the night of May 5, 2017. If you are willing to help plan and or volunteer for this event, please email Mrs. Boothby at shereeboothby@visioncsd.org. 

 Sincerely,
Mrs. OldenKamp
K-12 Principal
Charter Administrator
wendyoldenkamp@visioncsd.org
208-455-9220 ext. 301

End of Quarter Party

I'm sorry for the late message on this.  This party has been on our calendar since the beginning of the year, but this week it snuck up on me.

Friday is our End or Quarter Party.  We will begin our party at about 12:45. Students without missing assignments will be able to play games or use other electronic devices to play games.

Students may bring electronics from home to use.  They may also bring games they would like to play with peers.  Students are responsible for the items they bring from home.

Students may also bring snacks.  They may bring a snack for themselves or snacks to share.  If they want to share, they need to make sure they bring enough to share with everyone in their home room (there are 33 students in Mrs. George's home room and 34 students in Mr. Keefe's/Mrs. Bingham's homeroom).

Students with missing assignments will spend that time completing their assignments.  Once they are completed, they may join the party.

Missing Assignments

Today, Mrs. Bingham and I gave all students a list of missing assignments they have in all their classes.

A large percentage of the sixth grade is doing a great job of keeping track of their assignments, using class time wisely, completing their assignments and turning them in on time.  If your child has no missing assignments right now, let them know what a good job they are doing and it's wonderful how responsible they are.  Seventh grade will not be a big deal because they are already getting ready.

If your child has a missing or late assignment, their grade for that assignment is a zero and Mrs. Bingham and I are not able to change the grade per policy that we sent out last fall.  The second semester policy is the same as the middle school's.  All late or missing work is a zero.

Mrs. Bingham and I have been working really hard to give students opportunities to complete work in class.  We remind them of their assignments and when they are due.  We write assignments on the board and post them on the websites.  We want so badly for students to succeed and be responsible that we are wearing ourselves out.  We have repeatedly reminded students of the change in missing and late assignment policy from last fall.  Students who don't complete their work are in danger of repeating 6th grade or having to complete summer school.  I cannot change the policy and if we do, students will not be ready for 7th grade.

If you are able, please communicate with your child and find out what will help them avoid missing assignments.  We have tried to work with them and give them the responsibility, but at this point, they may need your help as well.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is coming soon and even though we are moving students towards middle school where they don't have these holiday celebrations during school hours, we will be providing time for students to share Valentines if they would like.

All students have access to a list of their classmate's names on Google Classroom.  If they would like to bring Valentines they need to make sure they bring one for their entire homeroom or for no one at all.  Students will have time to pass them out at 2:30 on Tuesday the 14th.  We will be having an end of quarter party in March rather than a large Valentine's Day party.

CELEBRATE!
As we have been working through the second semester, I have noticed many students showing great responsibility for their learning.  They are making sure that their assignments are completed correctly and on time.  They are communicating with us about their grades and doing all they can to be successful.  I am very proud of all their hard work.

Snow Day Pay Back

Below is a list of the days we will be having school due to snow days.

Because the students worked so hard during the last snow day, we do not have to make that one up! Let your child know we are all proud of how hard they worked and it payed off.

January 27th
February 10th
February 20th
March 10th
April 21st
May 5th

Spirit Day

This Friday, the 27th will be a spirit day - Crazy Hair / Hat Day. On this day, students may wear whatever crazy hat they would like as well as color their hair. If they decide to have their hair colored, they must have it washed out by class time on Monday, January 30th.

 If students choose to participate in this event it will be $1 and half of the proceeds will be donated to a Vision Charter family in need. We hope to see school spirit rise throughout the halls and classrooms of Vision Charter as we see all of your creative crazy hats and hair!!

Snow day #2

Yesterday, I assigned 9 IXL skills.  If it took each student 20 minutes to do each, that would total 3 hours.  Mr. Keefe/Mrs. Bingham also assigned work.  Since students needed a TOTAL of 2.5 hours, there should still be some skills they can work on that they didn't finish yesterday.  

I'm not adding extra IXL skills.  I am posting a short math assignment on Google Classroom that students will recognize.

I will be posting something students can do for their career research in Language Arts.  There are very specific instructions on Google Classroom.

All I have for you in Science is just to be ready for the test.

Once you have finished 2.5 hours, send me a message either by Classroom or email and I will put it on my list.  This time includes any school work you have done.  Some students most amazing hard workers and will try to complete everything no matter what, please don't wear yourself out.  I have assigned more work than you will be able to finish. 

I've already heard from a few people.  You are doing a great job!  I know that for many of you this is tricky with limited technology and many kids all stuck at home.  I appreciate your support and how everyone is working together to keep students learning and growing.

Snow Day Skills

It would be a treat to not have to make up this snow day.  I have a list of assignments students can complete today.  There is no new information in these assignments.  They are just practice.  Remember that a score of 80 or time of 20 minutes is the cutoff.  Make sure the analytics says 20 minutes and not just the timer on the screen.

You only need to spend 1 hour on IXL.  You will have other work for your other classes.  If you don't complete all the skills, but spend an hour, you will be good.

Language Arts:
IXL - E.1, I.1, I.2, O.1

Math:
IXL - I.7, I.8, J.1, J.2, J.3

Science:
Study for the Science Test.

Welcome Back!

It was good to be back into the routine today.

I need to apologize.  I have students' report cards sitting on my desk completely ready to go home and I dismissed them before getting them passed out.

I will send them home tomorrow.  As always, you can view their grades on the Parent Portal.  I will be reposting grades Wednesday for anyone who finishes up missing assignments that hurting their grade.

I hope to see everyone all week long.

Update & Learning Ideas

This may be the longest Christmas/Winter break ever.  My children have counted that by Tuesday we will have been out of school for 27 days.  I know that students and parents are feeling a little anxious.  It's one of those things we simply can't control.

ASSIGNMENTS
I have posted an assignment in each class that students can work on before Tuesday.  If anything is difficult or confusing, students may ask questions in Google Classroom or be assured I will help them through it as soon as we return to school.  Please don't stress if something doesn't make sense.  Simply taking some time to go through the items will give everyone a head start when we return to school.

I am checking my email daily and appreciate how supportive you parents are.

GRADES
If your child has received a C- or below in any class, students are welcome to make up that missing work by Tuesday to try to remedy that.  After Tuesday, all grades are final and I am unable to change them.

EXTRA PRACTICE
Language Arts:
Some wise activities that will help students are to keep a journal of daily events.  It might be interesting for students to record their activities and feelings through all these snow days. Students can continue to practice their good writing and their cursive during this long break.

Math:
Students can also continue to work on Xtra Math to help with those math facts and any IXL practice on skills they know they need to practice.

Science:
We will be having a Science test on the Lithosphere when we return, but shortly after that test we will begin our unit on Weather.  Students can help get ready for the unit by watching weather reports and making observations and asking questions.  This is an exciting time to watch the weather.

Message from Mr. Keefe

Vision Family,
The family/personal circumstances that lead to me being away from the classroom have not been resolved at this point and unfortunately more time is needed away from the classroom. Though I do not know how long I will continue to be away, please know that I miss being in the classroom, the students, and the staff. I appreciate your support through this very difficult time. Thank you for your understanding,

 -Tyler Keefe